Tuesday, January 27, 2009

From his home in near the Black Sea, a young man named Anacharsis made his way to Athens in the early 6th century BCE. At that time Athens was the centre of the civilised world, a metropolis teeming with innovative politicians, philosophers, poets and artists. Anacharsis was a Scythian, a culture which most Athenians would have considered to be the epitome of barbarity. The ancient historian Herodotus, for example, describes their dipsomania, and how they rode horses bare-back and apparently smoked a form of marijuana! For the Greeks, the Scythians were decidedly inferior. Incidently, various accounts of Ancient Ireland derive the Latin word for Irish scottus from Scythia, claiming that this Indo-European tribe came to Ireland via Egypt, Spain and finally the Atlantic coast. This mytho-historical origin from such reputed barbarians was used by the English renaissance poet Edmund Spenser , who lived in Cork, to justify English rule in Ireland.

In spite of the fact that his mother was Greek and he was raised bilingual, Anacharsis was not readily accepted in his new land. When he arrived in Greece he is said to have visited the home of the illustrious Solon the archon, or ruler. Solon was also a philosopher and renowned poet and it is probably for this reason that the intellectual Anacharsis decided to make his acquaintance. When he arrived at the home of the Greek archon , Solon asked him the purpose of his visit. Anacharsis replied “ I have travelled here from afar to make you my friend”. Solon was not interested and retorted “ it is better to make friends at home”. Anacharsis’s riposte was pungent “ Therefore it is necessary for you, being at home, to make friends with me”. Solon was deeply impressed by the sagacity and wit of his interlocutor and decided to offer him the traditional Greek hospitality. The idea of hospitality plays a central role in Ancient Greek culture. They called it xenophilia, literally love of the stranger. This was also a feature of Gaelic culture. The brú or hostel provided food and raiment for the passing traveller and was a common feature of the ancient Irish countryside.

Anacharsis’ was noted for the frankness of his speech. This irreverent directness became known as Scythian discourse. His outspokenness and love of knowledge made him popular among the Greeks. He was the first metoi or foreigner to be made a Greek citizen and the first foreigner to be inititiated into the Eleusianian mysteries, the equivalent of becoming a member of Aos Dána in Ireland or the Academie Francaise in France, I suppose. He is said to have written a book comparing the laws of the Greeks to those of the Scythians. His comparison of laws to spiders’ webs, which catch the little flies but let wasps and hornets escape has not lost its relevance today. The Scythian sage exhorted moderation in all things. Coming from a binge drinking culture, he had seen the effects of over-indulgent bibulosity. He couldn’t quite understand why the Greeks starting their drinking sessions with small jars and when they were drunk, finished them with big ones! He described the vine as containing three clusters of grapes: the first pleasure, the second drunkenness and the third disgust! When he was asked to describe the safest ship, he replied “ the one brought into harbour”. He was once reproached for his Scythian origins and his reply is one which any foreigner whose nationality is criticised should remember. He said “well, my country is a disgrace to me, but you are a disgrace to your country!”

Anacharsis represents for me the model foreigner. He came to Greece to learn from them yet, on the contrary, he was not averse to teaching the Greeks a lesson or two. What he perceived as progressive in Greek culture, he attempted to introduce in his own country, though this eventually cost him his life! Nevertheless, the very phrase Scythian speech is what the encounter with other cultures is all about. He openly expressed what he felt about his new adopted country. Perhaps in this sense Scythian discourse is what Meto Eireann tries to promote. In providing a forum for the immigrant, the outsider, the foreigner to openly express their views on Ireland, we are followers of Anacharsis or proverbially Scythian Speakers.

Since the reign of Frederick the Great in the 18th century, Berlin has held the reputation at a city of tolerance and enlightenment. When Hitler rose to power in the 1930s, Berlin counted among the German states least in favour of the despot’s accession. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the vote of the Catholic Party, the Nazis might have been consigned to the dustbin of history. For the Prussians were opposed to all forms of fanaticism. Unlike Ireland the separation of Church and State is a sine qua non for the Germans, and in particular the Berliners. However, it now looks as though the light of reason could be coming under threat from the murky forces of ignorance and superstition. A highly organised group of religious fanatics called Pro-Reli have been campaigning indefatigably over the past year to have segregated religious education introduced in Berlin’s state-run schools. In 2007, the Berlin government introduced ethics as a compulsory subject for all secondary students from 7th grade onwards. The subject covers questions dealing with moral, cultural, political, religious and philosophical issues. The aim of the course is to furnish students with the capacity to think for themselves, as the ability to reason is a prerequisite for a fully functioning, pluralist and democratic society. The Pro-Reli campaign has now secured enough signatures to its petition to force a referendum on this issue.The Pro-Reli phenomenon is yet another indicator of the intransigence and growing power of religion in secular societies. This religious recrudescence would seem to contradict Europe’s claim that it has evolved to a fully secular civilisation. The problem becomes deeply complex when one considers the heterogeneity of this religious resurgence. While the Christian churches have happily been on the verge of distinction in France, Britain, Germany and Ireland-though to a lesser extent -other religious groups are on the march. Islam, for example, is alive and well and is rapidly spreading throughout Europe. Muslims are no threat to European civilisation, provided, or course, they do not insist on infringing our impeding our secular institutions. The problem with Islam for the most part is its refusal to accept a secular society. Turkey is perhaps one of the few exceptions in the Islamic world of a country with a modern, secular constitution. Yet Turkey’s secularists are also fighting a kulturkampf( a cultural struggle) with rising Islamism. Berlin’s religious front is quite heterogeneous with Christians, Jews and Muslims all insisting that their children’s rational capacities be neglected in favour of mythological indoctrination. By living their lives according to the dictates of the relatively ignorant authors of the scriptures, they will, miraculously no doubt, become better citizens.In a tolerant society one should allow freedom of religion. It should be tolerated in the same way we tolerate pornography, gambling and excessive drinking; they are not so harmful provided they are kept under control. But one should not allow religion to dominate civil society. If the Pro-Reli group have their way, a new generation of Berliners incapable of thinking for themselves will be the result. This religious indoctrination could have disastrous consequences for cultural integration. It is not surprising the three dominant religions of Europe, Christianity, Judaism and Islam all blossomed in the deserts of the Middle East. It is because the desert is the easiest place to forget about the world! These elaborate narratives are the three great sources of ignorance, intolerance and tyranny in Europe’s history. In short, they are the three great frauds of humanity. The problem for atheists, agnostics and free-thinkers is that they are not organised in groups like the churches. Ergo they do not make enough noise. The religionists, on the other hand, are vociferous and highly organised. They push pamphlets and propaganda newspapers through our doors, and in countries such as Ireland where philosophy is a foreign word to most, they infiltrate the media through their lay spokespersons. I don’t need to mention who they are. You’ve all ready heard, seen and probably even read them. Ireland’s obsequious mentality, nurtured by centuries of Catholicism, means that a regression towards religious education in Berlin is likely to be used by right-wing religionists in Ireland to promote the continuous role of the church in our out-dated education system. If the religionists have their way in Berlin, it will be a triumph for irrational right-wing politics and a disaster for any functional multiculturalism.The very fact that Berlin of all cities is actually having this debate is another sign that a counter-enlightenment movement is gathering ground in Europe. Champions of multiculturalism, tolerance and reason, be vigilant and be heard!

Berlin has held long held the reputation as a city of tolerance and enlightenment. When Hitler rose to power in the 1930s, Berlin counted among the German states least in favour of the despot’s accession. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the vote of the Catholic Party, the Nazis might have been consigned to the dustbin of history. For the Prussians were opposed to all forms of fanaticism. Unlike Ireland the separation of Church and State is a sine qua non for the Germans, and in particular the Berliners. However, it now looks as though the light of reason could be coming under threat from the murky forces of ignorance and superstition.

A highly organised group of religious fanatics called Pro-Reli have been campaigning indefatigably over the past year to have segregated religious education introduced in Berlin’s state-run schools. In 2007, the Berlin government introduced ethics as a compulsory subject for all secondary students from 7th grade onwards. The subject covers questions dealing with moral, cultural, political, religious and philosophical issues. The aim of the course is to furnish students with the capacity to think for themselves, as the ability to reason is a prerequisite for a fully functioning, pluralist and democratic society. The Pro-Reli campaign has now secured enough signatures to its petition to force a referendum on this issue.

The Pro-Reli phenomenon is yet another indicator of the intransigence and growing power of religion in secular societies. This religious recrudescence would seem to contradict Europe’s claim that it has evolved to a fully secular civilisation. The problem becomes deeply complex when one considers the heterogeneity of this religious resurgence. While the Christian churches have happily been on the verge of distinction in France, Britain, Germany and Ireland-though to a lesser extent -other religious groups are on the march. Islam, for example, is alive and well and is rapidly spreading throughout Europe. Muslims are no threat to European civilisation, provided, or course, they do not insist on infringing our impeding our secular institutions. The problem with Islam for the most part is its refusal to accept a secular society. Turkey is perhaps one of the few exceptions in the Islamic world of a country with a modern, secular constitution. Yet Turkey’s secularists are also fighting a kulturkampf( a cultural struggle) with rising Islamism. Berlin’s religious front is quite heterogeneous with Christians, Jews and Muslims all insisting that their children’s rational capacities be neglected in favour of mythological indoctrination. By living their lives according to the dictates of the relatively ignorant authors of the scriptures, they will, miraculously no doubt, become better citizens. But lugubrious portents of Europe's intellectual decline abound. Germany is a case in point. CSU leader Edmund Stoiber has already called for tougher measures against blasphemy. see.http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,422107,00.html

Finland has also recently enacted blasphemy legislation.

In a tolerant society one should allow freedom of religion. It should be tolerated in the same way we tolerate pornography, gambling and excessive drinking; they are not so harmful provided they are kept under control. But one should not allow religion to become central to civil society. If the Pro-Reli group have their way, a new generation of regligiously indoctrinated Berliners incapable of thinking for themselves will be the result. This religious indoctrination could have disastrous consequences for cultural integration. It is not surprising the three dominant religions of Europe, Christianity, Judaism and Islam all blossomed in the deserts of the Middle East. It is because the desert is the easiest place to forget about the world! These elaborate narratives are the three great sources of ignorance, intolerance and tyranny in Europe’s history. In short, they are the three great frauds of humanity. The problem for atheists, agnostics and free-thinkers is that they are not organised in groups like the churches. Ergo they do not make enough noise. The religionists, on the other hand, are vociferous and highly organised. They push pamphlets and propaganda newspapers through our doors, and in countries such as Ireland where philosophy is a foreign word to most, they infiltrate the media through their lay spokespersons. I don’t need to mention who they are. You’ve all ready heard, seen and probably even read them.

Ireland’s obsequiousness, its 'herd mentality' ,( to borrow a phrase from Nietzsche) nurtured by centuries of Catholicism, means that a regression towards religious education in Berlin is likely to be used by right-wing religionists in Ireland to promote the continuous role of the church in our out-dated education system. If the religionists have their way in Berlin, it will be a triumph for irrational right-wing politics and a disaster for any functional multiculturalism.The very fact that Berlin of all cities is actually having this debate is another sign that a counter-enlightenment movement is gathering ground in Europe. Champions of multiculturalism, tolerance and reason, be vigilant and be heard!